React-TypeScript-Electron sample with Create React App and Electron Builder

This project was bootstrapped with Create React App with --template typescriptoption.

On the top of it, the following features have been added with relatively small changes:

• TypeScript supports for Electron main process source code
• Hot-reload support for Electron app
• Electron Builder support

Available Scripts in addition to the existing ones

npm run electron:dev

Runs the Electron app in the development mode.

The Electron app will reload if you make edits in the electron directory.
You will also see any lint errors in the console.

npm run electron:build

Builds the Electron app package for production to the dist folder.

Your Electron app is ready to be distributed!

Project directory structure

my-app/
├── package.json
│
## render process
├── tsconfig.json
├── public/
├── src/
│
## main process
├── electron/
│   ├── main.ts
│   └── tsconfig.json
│
## build output
├── build/
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── static/
│   │   ├── css/
│   │   └── js/
│   │
│   └── electron/
│      └── main.js
│
## distribution packages
└── dist/
    ├── mac/
    │   └── my-app.app
    └── my-app-0.1.0.dmg

Do it yourself from scratch

Generate a React project and install npm dependencies

npx create-react-app my-app --template typescript
cd my-app
yarn add @types/electron-devtools-installer electron-devtools-installer electron-is-dev electron-reload
yarn add -D concurrently electron electron-builder wait-on cross-env

Make Electron main process source file

electron/tsconfig.json

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "target": "es5",
    "module": "commonjs",
    "sourceMap": true,
    "strict": true,
    "outDir": "../build", // Output transpiled files to build/electron/
    "rootDir": "../",
    "noEmitOnError": true,
    "typeRoots": [
      "node_modules/@types"
    ]
  }
}

electron/main.ts

import { app, BrowserWindow } from 'electron';
import * as path from 'path';
import * as isDev from 'electron-is-dev';
import installExtension, { REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS } from "electron-devtools-installer";

let win: BrowserWindow | null = null;

function createWindow() {
  win = new BrowserWindow({
    width: 800,
    height: 600,
    webPreferences: {
      nodeIntegration: true
    }
  })

  if (isDev) {
    win.loadURL('http://localhost:3000/index.html');
  } else {
    // 'build/index.html'
    win.loadURL(`file://${__dirname}/../index.html`);
  }

  win.on('closed', () => win = null);

  // Hot Reloading
  if (isDev) {
    // 'node_modules/.bin/electronPath'
    require('electron-reload')(__dirname, {
      electron: path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'node_modules', '.bin', 'electron'),
      forceHardReset: true,
      hardResetMethod: 'exit'
    });
  }

  // DevTools
  installExtension(REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS)
    .then((name) => console.log(`Added Extension:  ${name}`))
    .catch((err) => console.log('An error occurred: ', err));

  if (isDev) {
    win.webContents.openDevTools();
  }
}

app.on('ready', createWindow);

app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
  if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
    app.quit();
  }
});

app.on('activate', () => {
  if (win === null) {
    createWindow();
  }
});

Adjust package.json

Add properties for Electron

  "homepage": ".", # see https://create-react-app.dev/docs/deployment#serving-the-same-build-from-different-paths
  "main": "build/electron/main.js",

Add properties for Electron Builder

  "author": "Your Name",
  "description": "React-TypeScript-Electron sample with Create React App and Electron Builder",
  ...
  "build": {
    "extends": null, # see https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/2030#issuecomment-386720420
    "files": [
      "build/**/*"
    ],
    "directories": {
      "buildResources": "assets" # change the resource directory from 'build' to 'assets'
    }
  },

Add scripts

  "scripts": {
    "postinstall": "electron-builder install-app-deps",
    "electron:dev": "concurrently \"cross-env BROWSER=none yarn start\" \"wait-on http://127.0.0.1:3000 && tsc -p electron -w\" \"wait-on http://127.0.0.1:3000 && tsc -p electron && electron .\"",
    "electron:build": "yarn build && tsc -p electron && electron-builder",

Many thanks to the following articles!

• ⚡️ From React to an Electron app ready for production
• How to build an Electron app using Create React App and Electron Builder
• Application entry file reset to default (react-cra detected and config changed incorrectly)
• Serving the Same Build from Different Paths